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INL donates $60K to local food banks for COVID-19 assistance

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) announced on May 20 that it is donating $60,000 to local food banks to help those struggling due to the economic effects of COVID-19.

Battelle Energy Alliance (BEA), which manages INL for the Department of Energy, created the INL Cares initiative.

“As we’ve watched (COVID-19) progress here in Idaho and across the nation, we really wanted to do more,” INL Director and BEA President Dr. Mark Peters said. “Today, we’re rolling out the first part of that.”

The Idaho Falls Community Food Basket, which serves the people of Idaho Falls and the Upper Snake River Valley, will receive $40,000 from INL Cares. The Pocatello-based Idaho Food Bank will receive $20,000 for programs in Blackfoot, Fort Hall and Bannock County.

“The contribution we’ll provide will fund roughly 100,000 meals. That will make, I think, a significant, important impact,” Peters said.

He said they chose to give to those local food banks so the money will go directly to providing food for people in need.

INL Cares has plans to role out other donations in the near future as well.

“We’re starting to work with the Small Business Development Center to provide significant resources to small businesses through grants,” Peters said.

He said that will begin within the next two weeks.

INL Cares is also working with Crush the Curve, a group of Idaho businesses and leaders helping to provide COVID-19 testing.

“The importance of testing to the region and also the state can’t be underestimated. We’re going to continue working with them in their mission to increase testing here in the state,” Peters said.

He said as the year goes on and the state begins to recover from the effects of the virus, INL will continue to work to help the community and the state.